Band-saw mill.



-PATENTBD MAR. s. 190s.. ADE WITT c. PREsooTT & I. M. THURLOW.

BAND `SAW MILL.. ArPLIoA'rIoN FILED un 2s. 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET -1- N0 IODEL.

PATENTED MAR. V3, 1903.

DE WITT C. PRESCOTT& I. M. THURLOW. BAND SAWMILL.

APPLICATION IILED HAY 23. 1902.

H0 MODEL. v 4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

No. 721,966. ,y ,ln'rlfEN'rBnMARI 3 DE WITTG.. PREscoTT s I. M. ILHURLOW.

v BAND SAW MILL.. -APPLI0ATI0N FILED MAjy 2a. 1902.

"4 sums-SHEET a.

'No uoDnL.

rf .m4 un No. 721,966. I '4 PATBNTBD MAR. 3, 1903.

DE WITT o. PRBSGOT'J; & I. M. THURLOW.

`BAND SAW MILL.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1902.

I() MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

DE WITT C. PRESCOTT,.OF CHICAGO, IL'LINOIS, AND IRA M. THURLOW, OF

MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TOTHE D. CLINT PRESCOTT COM- PANY, A'CORPORATION AOF MICHIGAN.

BAN D-SAW IVIILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,9 66, dated March 3, 1903.

Application-med May 23, 1902. Serial No. 108,743. (No model.)

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

`Beit known that we, DE WITT C. PREscoTT, a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,vand IRA M. THURLOW, a resident of Menominee, county of Menominee, and State of Michigan, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Band-Saw Mills, of Which the following is a specification and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, formingv a part thereof.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of bandsaW mills in which there are employed a main driving-Wheel jourualed in normally xed bearings, a carrying- Wheel adapted to be adjusted through such range of movement as to permit of its being moved into close proximity to the log or cant being operated upon, and means, such as a third wheel, for maintaining a uniform strain on the saw notwithstanding the adjustment of the carrying-Wheel. The end chiefly sought in machines of this character is to reduce to a minimum the vibration or whipping of the saw by restricting as much as possible the length of its cutting stretch. The more common practice has been to overcome this vibration by guides adapted to be moved close to the log or cant. In the construction of machines of the type to Which the present invention relates such guides are dispensed with, and the machine is therefore particularly adapted for double-cutting saws-that is, band-saws having teeth at both edges thereof, in the use of which saw-guides, Whether stationary or adjustable, cannot be so conveniently used. f

The objects of the invention are to generally improve and simplify the construction of band-saw mills, to provide novel means for adjusting the carrying or guiding wheel without varying the plane of the cutting stretch of the saw, and to provide a positive and effective means whereby the strain on the saw may be maintained irrespective of the movement of the carrying or guiding wheel.

The inventionconsists of the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, particularly designated in the claims,

and which are illustrated in the accompany- 5o ing drawings, in Which- Figure l is a side elevation of a band-saw mill constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the line X X of 55 Fig. 4. Fig. 4 isa plan of the movable frame or walking-beam for adjusting the saw carrying or guiding Wheel With relation to the log or cant. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the mechanism for imparting 6o movement to the movable saw carrying or guiding wheel frame. Fig. 6 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 'Z is a rear elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the upper portion of the band-saw mill and illustrating the location ofthe hydraulic jack for raising or lowering the saw carrying or guiding wheel frame when it is desired to takeoff or put on a saw or to restore the saw to its working tension and upon which the upper struc 7o ture of the machine is supported; and Fig. 8 relates to a detail of the supporting-frame carrying the saw-guiding-wheel.frame.

The invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, one of which is illustrated, and we do not limit ourselves to the precise construction shown. y

The bed-plate or main frame 10 of the machine is designed to be secured upon any suitable supporting base or structure and has 8o lixed thereto depending hangers or yokes 11, in which is journaled the shaft 12, having keyed thereto the main saw-driving wheel 13. Motion is communicated to the shaft l2 by a pulley 14, iixed thereon and driven bya belt in the usual manner.

Mounted on the bed-plate 10 at opposite sides of the main driving-wheel 13 are vertical guide-pillars comprising the socketed base members 15, in which are adapted to tele- 9o scope the upper members 16, which, with a beam 16aL connecting them, provide a vertically-moving frame 17a. for supporting a pivoted or journaled rocking or tilting frame 24, on Which is journaled the saw-carrying Wheel or wheels, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The upper ends of the base members 15 of the telescoping pillars are split, as

shown in Fig. 8, and bands 17, secured by bolts 18, are provided for clamping the two members together.

In the construction shown the main driving-wheel 13 extends up through the bedplate and may be covered by a guard or shield 19. As the frame carrying the upper wheels is tilted it travels longitudinally in order that the plane of the cutting stretch of the saw may remain constant. It has been proposed to have the trunnions of such a frame run on level tracks, and such construction is satisfactory for rough work and when the range of adjustment is small; but it secures only an approximate uniformity of strain on the saw, for the reason that when the frame is inclined from the horizontal either to raise or lower the guide-wheel the saw slackens slightly. For accurate work this slackening must be overcome, and this is accomplished by providing means for bodily raising the frame as it is tilted through a range of movement as great as may be required in practice. l To this end there is located on the vertically-moving frame 17, as at the upper end of each of the members 16 of the telescoping pillars, an upwardly and forwardly inclined guide or way 20, on which is designed to slide or travel a block 2l, carrying a bearing-box 22, having journaled therein one end of a shaft 23, to which is fixed the rocking or tilting frame 24. The frame 24 is designed to be rocked or tilted in the bearings 22 and simultaneously moved back or forth, depending on the direction of oscillation, on the ways 20 in a manner hereinafter explained, and it may consist of a pair of parallel beams 27, as shown in Fig. 4, connected by a cross piece or tie 27-.

The wheel 25, or that located at the front of the rocking frame, is fixed to a transverse shaft 28, journaled in boxes 29, supported in yokes 30, pivoted at one of the ends thereof to the side beams of the frame and having their free ends extending inwardly. The journal-boxes 29 are laterally adjustable in the yokes 30, and bolts 31 are provided for holding them in their adjusted positions. The other carrying-wheel, or 26, at the opposite end of the frame 24 is fixed on a transverse shaft 32, journaled in boxes 33 and 34, carried by the side beams of the frame. The journal-box 33 is supported directly by the beam 27, carrying the same, and is capable of lateral adjustment only, set-screws 35 being provided to hold it against movement. The box 34, however, is adjustably secured by set-screws 36 in a yoke 37, pivoted to the beam carrying the same, its free end also extending inwardly toward the shaft 23 of the frame 24 and supported bya threaded rod 38, passing through an extension 39 of the frame and having a handwheel 40 for adjusting the same and a lock-nut 41 for holding the rod 38 against movement.

Secured to each of the beams 27 at their ends adjacent to the front of the machine is an arm 42, having pivoted thereto, as at 43, a slide-block 44, such blocks being adapted to travel or move along vertical guides 45, extending or supported from the verticallymoving frame 17. The object of these guides and slide-blocks is to compel the front end of the frame 24, and consequently the carrying-wheel 25, to move in avertical direction, so as to prevent any variation in the plane of the cutting stretch of the saw.

Power for rocking or tilting the frame 24 is obtained by means of a connection driven through the main shaft 12. To this end the shaft 23 is provided with a crank-arm 46, having connected thereto a rod 47, provided with a threaded extension 48, fiexibly connected to the said rod. The threaded extension 48 is engaged by a block 49, rotatably mounted in a socket 50, fixed to the bed-plate 10 and having a miter-gear 51, to which motion is communicated by a companion gear 52, fixed to a shaft journaled in a bearing 53.

The shaft to which the gear 52 is fixed is pro.

vided with a friction-wheel 54, driven by a pair of friction-wheels 55, fixed on a sleeve 56, feathered on a shaft 57, carried in bearings 58. The sleeve 56 is engaged by an arm 58, pivoted on a support 59 and connected by a rod 60 to a lever 61, by the shifting of which the friction-gears 55 may be thrown alternately into engagement with the wheel 54. Motion is communicated to the shaft 57 through the medium of ruiter-gears 62, driven by a shaft G3, having fixed thereto a pulley 64, connected by a belt to the main driving-shaft 12.

As usual, an automatic saw-strainingl device is provided to compensate forirregularities in action. This is accomplished through the medium of a weight 67,'hung on a rope or cable 68, which is in turn attached to one arm of a bell-crank lever 69, which is pivoted, as at 70, to the rocking frame 24. The bellcrank lever 69 is provided with a pair of lparallel arms 71, having connected thereto rods 72, jointed at their opposite ends to levers 73, pivoted, as at 74, to the frame 24 and each of which is provided with a toe or projection 75, on which rests the free end of the adjacent yoke 30, as seen in Fig. 3. Uniformity of action of the straining mechanism irrespective of the position or angularity of the frame 24 is secured by passing the rope or cable 68 between rollers 76, mounted on the frame, whereby the pull of the weight, inasmuch as there is no variation inthe relative positions of the frame 24 and the lever 69, except as may be occasioned by the slackening of the saw, will always be at a right angle to the lever 69. It will be obvious that any slackening of the saw will be taken up by the weight 67 in moving the yokes 30, and consequently the carrying-wheel 25, so that the saw will always be maintained at the proper tension. ln order to true the carrying-wheel upon the shaft 28 to compel the saw to take its proper path on the said wheel, one of the IOO IIO

rods 72 of the straining mechanism is madel adjustable, as by means of the thumb-nut 77, and the other carrying-wheel 26 is adjusted in the same manner by means of the threaded rod 38, (shown in Fig. 3,) heretofore described.

The vertically-movable frame 17 may be supported and controlled by a hydraulic jack, which Will also serve to raise or lower the carrying-wheel frame for putting on or taking off the saw or restoring the saw to its working tension. As shown in Fig. 7, such hydraulic jack 78 is mounted on top of the shield or main driving-wheel guard 19, and the plunger 79 thereof receives the beam 16a, connecting the upper member 16 of the telescoping pillars. By releasing the fluid in the usual manner from the cylinder of the hydraulic jack the plunger will gradually sink, permitting the frame 17 to lower and which will be guided in its movement by the base members 15 of the telescoping pillars. When the saw has been replaced, the pump 8l of the jack being' operated, the frame 24, and consequently the carrying-wheels 25 land 26, will be elevated and restored to their original positions. A guide 82 for the saw after leaving the log may be provided, if desired, and fixed to the bed-plate 10, so as to be located just below the head-blocks 83 of the sawmill-carriage 84, as shown in Fig. 1.

When a double-edge saw .is employed, two sets of rollers for carrying the boards out from the log will be employed, one set being located at each' side of the saw. One series of these rollers may be driven, as shown .in Fig. 1, by a belt 85, deriving motion from the driving-shaft 12 and running over a pul-` ley 86, which, through the medium of bevelgearing 87, imparts movement to such rollers, one of which is shown and designated 88, while the other series, as 89, may be driven by the shaft 57, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The adjustment of the saw carrying or guiding wheel 25 will depend upon the size of the log or cant being cut bythe saw. Assuming that a log of small diameter is being operated upon, it will be necessary to lower the said wheel, and this is accomplished by throwing that friction-gear 55 into engagement with the friction-gear 54 by means of the lever 6l, which will drive the rotatable block 49 through its connections in a direction to elevate the rod 47, as will be understood on reference to Fig. 1. This movement of the rod 47 will rock or turn the shaft 23 in its bearings, thereby lowering the front end of the frame 24 and the carrying-wheel 25, mounted thereon, and consequently elevating the rear end of the frame and its carrying-wheel 26. The slack in the saw occasioned by the lowering of the front carrying-Wheel will be compensated for by the elevation of the rear carrying-Wheel and the elevation of the frame 24 on the inclined guides or ways 2O as the said frame is drawn forward. In cutting large logs the operation just described is reversed, the front wheel being elevated and the rear. wheel lowered, it being understood that the movement of the frame longitudinally is governed by the movement of the` slides 44 on the guides 45. The wheel 25 being always moved into close proximity to the log or cant whatever its size, it results that as the saw leaves the said guiding-wheel with no appreciable vibration and immediately enters the log a cleanaud regular out will result.

We claim as our invention- 1. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a frame, a saw-driving wheel journaled in normally fixed bearings, a rocking frame, asawcarrying Wheel at each end of the frame, means for moving the latter frame longitudinally, and inclined ways on which such frame travels.,

2. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a frame, a saw-driving wheel journaled in normally xed bearings, a rocking frame, a sawcarrying wheel at each end of the frame,means for moving the latter frame longitudinally, and means for raising or lowering the said frame during such longitudinal movement.

3. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying Wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, an inclined Way upon which the frame moves, a vertical guide, a slide traveling ou the guide and connected to the frame, and a third Wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the carrying-frame.

4. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, an inclined way upon which the frame moves, a vertical guide, a slide traveling on the guide and connected to the frame, a third wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the carrying-frame, and means for straining the saw.

5. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarryiug wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, an inclined Way upon which the frame moves, a vertical guide, a slide traveling on the guide and connected to the frame, and a third Wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the carrying-frame.

6. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-Wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying wheel journaled on the frame, asaw traveling over the said wheels, an inclined way upon which the frame is adapted to move longitudinally, a vertical guide, a slide travcling on the guide andwhich is pivotally connected to the'frame, a third wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the frame, and means for moving the frame on its pivot.

'7. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a saw- IOO IIO

carryingwheol journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said Wheels, an inclined way upon which the frame is adapted to move longitudinally, a vertical guide, a slide traveling on the guide and which is pivotally connected to the frame, a third wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the frame, means for moving the frame on its pivot, and means for straining the saw.

8. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying Wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said Wheels, an inclined Way upon which the frame is adapted to move longitudinally, a vertical guide, a slide traveling on the guide and which is pivotallyconnected to the frame, a third wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the frame, means for moving the frame on its pivot, and means for straining the saw.l

9. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying wheel journaled on the frame, a vertical gulde, a slide traveling on the guide and pivotally connected to the frame, a second wheel journaled on the frame and for taking up the slack in the saw occasioned by the movement of the frame, a saw traveling over the said Wheels, an inclined way upon which the frame moves, and means for moving the frame on its pivot.

10. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a frame, a shaft to which the frame is fixed, a bearing for the shaft, an inclined Way on which the bearing travels, a carrying-Wheel journaled on the frame,a verticalguide,a slide moving on the guide and pivotally connected to the frame, a second Wheel journaled on the frame and for taking up the slack in the saw occasioned by the movement of the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, means for straining the saw, and means for oscillating the frame-shaft.

11. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a support, a longitudinally-movable rocking frame mounted between its ends on the support, a carryingwheel journaled at each end of the frame, a vertical guide, a slide moving on the guide and pivotally connected to the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, means for maintaining uniform strain on the saw, and means for rocking the frame.

12. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, supports, an inclined track on each support, bearings movable on the tracks, a lrocking frame journaled in the bearings, a carrying-wheel journaled at each end of the frame, a vertical guide, a slide moving on the guide and pivotally connected to the frame,a saw traveling over the said wheels, means for maintaining uniform strain on the saw, and means for rocking the frame.

13. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-Wheel, a support, inclined Ways on the support, bearings movable on the Ways, a rocking frame journaled in the bearings,

a carrying-wheel journaled at each end ofthe frame, a vertical guide adjacent to one end of the frame, a slide moving on the guide and pivotally connected to the frame, asaw traveling over the wheels, means for maintaining the strain on the saw, and means for rocking the frame.

14. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a support, inclined ways on the support, bearings movable on the ways, a shaft journaled in the bearings, a frame fixed to the shaft, a carrying-wheel journaled at each end of the frame, a vertical guide adjacent to one end of the frame, a slide moving on the guide and pivotally connected to the frame, a saw traveling over the wheels, means for maintaining the tension of the saw, an arm secured to the shaft to which the frame is fixed, a rotatable threaded block, a rod attached to the arm and engaging the block, and means for rotating the block in either direction.

15. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a support, inclined ways on the support, bearings movable on the ways, a rocking frame journaled in the bearings, yokes pivoted at one end of the frame and carrying the bearings, a saw-carrying wheel journaled in the latter bearings, levers pivoted to the frame and upon which the free ends of the pivoted yokes rest,a weight, connection between the Weight and the levers, asecond wheel journaled at the other end of the frame, a saw traveling over the wheels, and means for rocking the frame.

16. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a saw, a main driving-Wheel, a support, inclined ways on the support, bearings movable on the Ways, a rocking frame journaled in the bearings, yokes pivoted at one end of the frame and carrying bearings, a saw-carrying wheel journaled in the latter bearings, levers pivoted to the frame and upon each of which the free ends of the pivoted yokes rest, a rod connected t0 each lever, one of said rods being extensibly adjustable, a shaft journaled on the frame and having arms to which the rods are connected, a Weight, a connection between the weight and the lastmentioned shaft for oscillating the same, a second carrying-wheel journaled on the frame, and means for rocking the frame.

17. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a support, inclined ways on the support, bearings movable on the ways, a rocking frame journaled in the bearings, yokes pivoted at one end of the frame and carrying bearings, a saw-carrying Wheel journaled in the bearings, a saw-straining mechanism engaging the yokes, a shaft journaled at the opposite end of the frame and having a carrying-wheel fixed thereto, a pivoted yoke carrying a bearing in which one end of the said shaft is journaled, a screwrod for adjusting the latter yoke, a saw traveling over the wheels, and means for rocking the frame.

IIO

18. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a bed-plate, a main driving-wheel journaled in hangers fixed to the bed-plate, a verticallyadjustable support, inclined ways on the support, bearings movable on the ways, a rocking frame journaled in the bearings, carrying-Wheels journaled at the ends of the frame, a vertical guide, a slide traveling on the guide and which is pivotally connected to the frame, a saw traveling over the wheels, means for straining the saw, means for rocking the frame, a hydraulic jack for elevating the vertically-adjustable support, and telescoping pillars for guiding the vertically-adjustable support.

19. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said Wheels, a Vertical guide, a slide traveling on the guide and pivotally connected to the frame, means for raising or lowering the frame as it is moved on its pivot, and a movable third Wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the frame.

20. In a band-sawmill, in combination, a main driving-Wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, means for guiding the sawcarrying wheel in a plane parallel to the cutting stretch of the saw, means for raising or lowering the frame bodily as it is moved on its pivot, and means for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the frame.

2l. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, an elevatingway upon which the frame moves, a vertical guide, a slide traveling on the guide and connected to the frame, and a third Wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the carrying-frame.

22. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving-wheel, a pivoted frame, a sawcarrying wheel journaled on the frame, a saw traveling over the said wheels, an elevating- Way upon which the frame moves, a guide for compelling movement of the saw-carrying Wheel always in a vertical direction, and a movable third wheel for taking up the slack occasioned by the movement of the frame.

23. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a saw-driving wheel, a frame, yokes pivoted on the frame, bearings carried by the yokes, a saw-carrying Wheel journaled in the bearings, a pair of levers engaging the yokes, a substantially horizontal arm pivoted on the frame, connection between the arm and the levers, a pair of guide-rollers journaled on the frame, a weight, and a cable passing between the rollers and connecting the horizontal arm and the weight.

24. In a band-saw mill, in combination, a main driving wheel, a medially pivoted frame, saw-carrying wheels on the opposite ends of the frame, a guide parallel with the sawing plane, a slide traveling on the guide and being attached to the frame, and means for raising the pivot of the frame as the latter is inclined from the horizontal. n

DE WITT C. PRESCOTT. IRA M. THURLOW.

Witnesses to signature of De Witt C. Pres- COtt:

ARTHUR B. SEIBoLD, LOUIS K. GILLSON.

Witnesses to signature of Ira M. Thurlow:

ROY H. SMEAD, J EAN M. ALLEN. 

